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Topic: Prayer request - Lewis (Read 18707 times)

This is brother Lewis. We live in the central mountains of Colorado. We moved here from Southern Adventist University. My wife and I have 4 girls that we home school and are raising to follow the Lord! Recently we have made a more decided effort to commit totally to doing the Lords work. I am preaching part-time at 2 SDA churches. The Lord has expanded our outreach to include a short worship service at the Catholic owned nursing home on Sabbath afternoons. The Lord is opening up the closed doors to some individuals hearts who are alcolholics and durg users in our town so we can tell them about God, and invite them to church.

However some issues have risen in which we need some prayer. I can not get hired on jobs in which I am qualified and not qualified to do because I can not and will not work on the Sabbath. With all these different jobs it is hard for me to believe that nothing has opened up since last June 2007.

My wife has been able however to get jobs. On each of her jobs, problems have risen after a period of time. She has even been ridiculed and threatened by other employees for beliefs held on Sabbath observance as well as dressing differently, and not going along with the drinking and drugs that are brought into the work place. Many employeers here turn their face to many of these problems of this sort.

Since our rededication to the Lord, my wifes new employeer has pushed her to work Friday after sundown, and Sabbath, after being hired with the knowledge of the Sabbath. She was being trained for a supervisors position as well. The hours have been cut to 16 per week since she will not work on the Sabbath. We have looked for other jobs within our area since this has happend this week, and everyone tells us, we must work at least occasionally on the Sabbath. People we know here in town, including most of our family tell us that God will understand if we have to work Saturdays.

You may wonder why those in our local church do not help much? All I will say is that many are blinded with the love and cares of this world, and make many excuses to why they dont want to help spread the message of Jesus. And I will not water down or preach soothing things to those in the churches to make life easier. It is about Jesus and not me.

Please pray for our family in sharing Gods Word to the many in our community, and with in our church family, and to help us find work or possibly relocating within our state or another part of this country, and continue to help spread the gospel of Jesus!!!

I am sorry that I am long winded, I just wanted to give a detailed background to the situation.

Oh, brother Lewis. Of course, we will pray for you. We know that every roadblock possible will put before us in these the closing hours of earth's history. Please do not get discouraged, dear brother. Jesus knows your every trial and is with you every single step of the way. This is His battle and you are His precious child.

You are doing a work Satan wants to halt. We have evidence of him trying to take away our very existence. Hang on to Jesus. Never let go. He will sustain you, your wife and children.

To work in the thick of the Laodicean condition is most discouraging but we have been told there will be revival and reformation. So, we are the saints who must be patient and keep on giving the message to anyone who will listen. Plant seeds - keep going - keep trusting. The rewards will be great!

God bless you. Keep us informed so we may rejoice with you! And by the way, I know some folks in Colorado, Telluride area. Will PM you to get some of your details on job requirements. Blessings this Sabbath day. Lay aside your worries - rest in Him!

Dear Brother Lewis,We are so sorry to hear of your problems as you stand up for the Lord Jesus. Times are getting harder and harder to do His Will. We will indeed pray for you and your family. Please keep us posted as to how things are going. May God bless you and yours with everything God feels you need.

Dear brother, Jesus will see you through. I speak from my own experience. I will be praying for you.

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O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Jeremiah 10:23-24

Brother Lewis, the harvest field is white. Most those who love Jesus or who will love Him are outside of our church. The trials you are experiencing are for your good and God's glory. In our trials we are His witnesses. All things work together for good to those who love the Lord! You love Him, so God is working good for you and your family. Your little ones are blessed. Keep them foremost in your ministry!

Have a blessed Sabbath!

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Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of His Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience...

Things seem to appear to be changing for the better. Then today came with a twist. Last week they drug tested everyone where my wife works. Somehow they could not get a satisfactory temperature on the test. Today we find out, that the corperate office claims that she used another persons specimen because of the hospital not being able to get the proper temperature reading...

If you only knew our past history since coming out from the world and saying yes to what I believe in the Lord calling me to preach... the things that have happened. The Lord somehow through some of my own thoughts is giving me a calm through all this. I just pray that my wife will continue to hold unto Him.

Dear Lewis,I can certainly empathize with you about your job. I worked for 11 years at a plastics plant, not knowing if I would be working the next week or not because when the plant worked overtime, it was on Sabbath.

But, this may be encouraging to you. When they started a lot of overtime and I began to get a lot of points against me for not coming in, my co-workers started asking me what I was going to do. All I could say was "nothing, I am letting the Lord take care of it."

The last week before I would have collected enough points they would let me go, my supervisor came to my work station, and announced to me in a "not so nice way" that I was excused from work the coming Saturday. I started to thank her, but she cut me off with, "Don't thank me, if it were up to me, you would work!" But, Mike, (the personall manager) had told her they would have to let me off, that it was against the law to make me work when it was because of my religious beliefs. Of course, that is not exactly true, but an attorney had told him that, and because I had known Mike since he was a boy, he was trying to find a way out for me.

So, I just said to my supervisor, "Then, I thank you for telling me." But, it left such an impression on the other workers in my department. They had never seen anything like that happen before. In fact, one of them later gave his life to the Lord through the Discover Bible Course, and was planning to be baptized, but he died with a heart attack. He was a young man in his 40s, but had the heart condition from birth. He loved to sing Amazing Grace, and I know I will get to sing it with him in Heaven!

My Brother, Lewis, it is hard. I well know this, and I am praying for you. But, know that every day someone is watching you. You are a living, walking witness for our Lord!! He will never leave you nor forsake you. I will pray for your dear wife, too.

My wife is at this time trying out for a new job. They have a daycare center .5 miles down the street from us. They are looking for a teachers helper there. No Sabbaths, and holidays. They are also more than willing to let her off on Fridays before sundown, when the time becomes short in the winter. The woman that runs this daycare said that her husband is a pastor in one of the local churches...hmm. Somehow to my lack of understanding the Lord is opening doors for my wife to work, but all mine close for some reason.

Lewis' daughters are ill - three of them. His wife is not feeling too well, either yet is taking two of the girls to the hospital as the doctors' offices are closed. Please keep this family in your prayers. What difficulties are being laid at this family's door.

On February 2, 2008 my daughter was baptized for the first time. My wife and I were rebaptized. We committed our lives more fully to the Lord around this time in doing preaching, and getting the family involved in full ministry.

From that point in time to this day we have had very little relief. Either from jobs or in sickness. We have had sickness in our home in which we have never experienced in the past. It has varied from time to time what each of us has had. From severe face pain for a continual 10 weeks, bronchitis, head infections, severe sore throats, pink eye, and having a strange fatigue.

Yesterday, my wife came home, and had to take 2 of the girls to the hospital. They came down with 101 degree temps, pink eyes and head pain. The hospital said, that there was not really anything wrong, probably allergies. After they came home we noticed that the littlest one had red splotches on here skin with water-like blisters. So, my wife and oldest daughter went back to the hospital. We were told that she had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic she was taking which she has taken before with no problems. Very seldom have we had to take these medications before.

We eat well, get plenty of fresh air and exercise and commit ourselves daily to our Lord and Savior. Please continue to pray for my wife and children, because being sick so much has really brought them down. It is very difficult to be enthusiastic in serving the Lord and energetic around the home at a time when one is feeling sick.

God bless everyone for you prayers and Christian fellowship here on this forum.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 6:6-11

To live such a life, to exert such an influence, costs at every step effort, self-sacrifice, discipline. It is because they do not understand this that many are so easily discouraged in the Christian life. Many who sincerely consecrate their lives to God's service are surprised and disappointed to find themselves, as never before, confronted by obstacles and beset by trials and perplexities. They pray for Christlikeness of character, for a fitness for the Lord's work, and they are placed in circumstances that seem to call forth all the evil of their nature. Faults are revealed of which they did not even suspect the existence. Like Israel of old they question, "If God is leading us, why do all these things come upon us?"

It is because God is leading them that these things come upon them. Trials and obstacles are the Lord's chosen methods of discipline and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their characters better than they themselves know them. He sees that some have powers and susceptibilities which, rightly directed, might be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these persons into different positions and varied circumstances that they may discover in their character the defects which have been concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct these defects and to fit themselves for His service. Often He permits the fires of affliction to assail them that they may be purified.

The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious which He desires to develop. If He saw in us nothing whereby He might glorify His name, He would not spend time in refining us. He does not cast worthless stones into His furnace. It is valuable ore that He refines. The blacksmith puts the iron and steel into the fire that he may know what manner of metal they are. The Lord allows His chosen ones to be placed in the furnace of affliction to prove what temper they are of and whether they can be fashioned for His work. MH 471

Thankyou everyone for your prayers for my family. We have had many trials and issues since February. More so since we rededicated our lives to the Lord.

Right after my wife got back from the hospital, she had to turn around and go back to the hospital to take the youngest girl because she had some strange looking bumps on her skin. We found out she was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotics.

We realize satan is not happy with those who are working for the Lord and have taken their stand with Him.

Lewis, just to let you know, I pray for you and your family as I do for my own. The other day I was reminded that God acts at the last second most of the time just to test our faith. He delivers and He delivers in a big way. Keep the faith, dear brother. The faithful have trials and they are for our good even when most painful, yet He is right there with us through every single one.

When you feel hedged in, know Jesus stands with you in that corner and He knows the way out when we can't see one. God bless you. He is with you.

Had the Christian never experienced the storms of affliction in this world, had his heart never been chilled by disappointment or oppressed by fear, he would scarcely know how to appreciate heaven. We will not be despondent, though often weary, sad, and heartsick; the winter will not always last. The summer of peace, joy, and eternal gladness soon will come. Then Christ will dwell with us and will lead us to fountains of living waters, and will wipe all tears from our eyes. {OHC 158.5}

Whatever may have been your past experience, however discouraging may be your present circumstances, if you will come to Jesus just as you are, weak, helpless, and despairing, our compassionate Saviour will meet you a great way off, and will throw about you his arms of love and his robe of righteousness. Do not continue to talk of your weakness; Jesus came to bring moral power to combine with human effort, that we might advance step by step in the heavenward way. Let your faith lay hold of the precious promises of God, and if clouds have encompassed you, the mists will roll back; for the angels of God are ever ready to help in every trial and emergency. We are not left to battle unaided against the prince of darkness. As we realize the attacks of the enemy, we shall feel the need of fleeing to the stronghold, we shall learn to lean upon the Mighty One. He will be to us as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, as a covert from the tempest. Deep and fervent will be the gratitude of him who experiences the help of God in times of temptation and trial. {BEcho, December 1, 1892 par. 6}

The Christian is enlisted to fight in the cause of God, to be a soldier of Jesus Christ. Jesus fought all our battles during his life upon earth, and in that He was tempted, He knows how to succor those who shall be tempted. We have no power to war with principalities, and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places, except as we draw strength from Christ. Jesus calls upon you to behold the confederacy of evil, to behold the conflict through which you must pass. He bids us count the cost of standing under the blood-stained banner; He does not flatter us that we shall have no difficulties in this life; but although we shall be tried and tempted in meeting the confederacy of evil, yet we are assured that all the heavenly intelligences will be enlisted on our side in every battle. But the ministry of angels will not ensure us against sorrow and trial. Angels ministered to Jesus; yet their presence did not make his life one of ease, nor free Him from conflict and temptation. While we are engaged in the work which the Master has appointed us to do, though trials and perplexities and temptations press upon us, we should not be discouraged; for we know that One has endured all these temptations before us. {BEcho, December 1, 1892 par. 1

Lewis is on his way back to the hospital. His wife, Stephanie, is in bad shape. Very low heart rate, eyes rolling back and I don't know what else. He has no one to help him with the girls while he is at the hospital with her. The situation is dire and they need all the prayers they can get. When he can, he will update us.